Harassment in Healthcare: Creating a Safe Environment for Staff and Patients

Compass Clinical Consulting has launched PDR, a new service to help healthcare organizations Prevent, Detect, and Remediate (PDR) sexual harassment allegations.

Allegations and incidences of sexual harassment and the creation of a hostile work environment have captured the attention of the national press. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are not exempt from this concern. As media reports continue to emerge on this troubling trend, healthcare organizations can anticipate increased reporting related to sexual harassment and hostile work environments.

Harassment & Hostile Work Environments

Compass Clinical Consulting’s PDR approach addresses concerns of harassment and hostile work environments from multiple angles, including clinical, leadership, and human resources, as well as accreditation and regulatory compliance. The goal is to help healthcare organizations deliver quality care while maintaining full compliance with applicable standards and regulations, including assurance of a safe and effective work environment for all.

Sexual Harassment and Hostile Work Environments: What This Means for Healthcare Organizations

As media reports continue to emerge on this troubling trend, hospitals and health systems can anticipate increased reporting related to sexual harassment and hostile work environments. And what’s more, regulators and surveyors—especially The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and The Joint Commission (TJC)—pay careful attention to the news and trends in public interest.

The PDR Approach: Prevent. Detect. Remediate.

Compass partners with healthcare organizations to implement three critical pillars of a safe, harassment-free environment: prevention, detection, and remediation. The implementation of this approach includes a range of tactics, including but not limited to development of policies and communication plans; document reviews; interviews with hospital staff, medical staff, and leadership; and audits of past and current incidents, including call records and investigations. It also includes focused surveys of areas of higher potential risk, and review of training, education, and – most importantly – culture, including power relationships and how they contribute to potential incidents or patterns of harassment.
Additionally, Compass works with leadership and human resources offices to establish confidential and anonymous methods to report policy noncompliance, whether involving self-reported or observed incidents. Through this process, Compass serves as a third party to which members of the organization can safely share their concerns without fear of retribution.

As more attention is paid to harassment and hostile work environments, healthcare organizations should prepare for a proactive stance. A policy alone isn’t enough – prevention, detection, and remediation are the key components of a successful approach to assuring a safe and productive care environment. For more information, go to PDR or call 800-241-0142.